Background and Aim: Bone marrow stem cells (BMSCs) are recognized as appropriate source for cell therapy in neurodegenerative disorders. In this exprimental study, neuroprogenitor cells (NPC)-derived from BMSCs were transplanted into an animal demyelination model.Material and Methods: BMSCs were isolated from femur bones of the rats and cultured in DMEM medium containing FBS. BMSCs were differentiated into NPC by inducers such as; RA, bFGF and EGF. Specific neuroprogenitor markers, e.g.:Nestin and NF68 were detected by using immunocytochemistry technique. Demyelination model was induced via injection of gliotoxin lysolecithin (LPC) into the corpus callosum. After one week, Dil labled NPCs were transplanted into the rat brains. The extention of demyelination and cell homing were measured 2 weeks later by histological and immunohistochemical staining.Result: BMSCs were appeared with neurologic morphology and differentiation of the cells into NPC after exposure to neural inducers was confirmed by immunocytochemistry staining. Histological and immunohistochemical evaluation showed significant decrease in demyelination in the experimental group.
Conclotion: The results ofthis study demonstrated that transplantation of NPC-derived BMSCs led to significant remyelination in demylinted corpous callosum